Christine Hanna speaking to our group at the 2017 Wine Bloggers Conference.

ST: Your dad started Hanna Winery and you soon joined
him. Where did his love of wine and inspiration come from?

CH: My dad grew up on a farm, so
the growing seasons are in his blood. He didn’t know anything about wine until
he was in medical school. Some of his mentors were wine collectors and my dad
was intrigued. Later, we’d take a trip to Bordeaux and Burgundy, and returned
with the inspiration to make our own wine.

Hanna Winery's tasting room in Healdsburg. They also have a tasting room in Russian River as well.

ST: Did you always feel drawn to wine as well, or did
that love come later?

CH: Yes, I made my first vintage
of wine with my dad when I was 14. As kids, we were always allowed a sip of
wine at the table. Wine has been a love in my life for as long as I can
remember.

ST: I’m sure you’ve seen some challenges in growing the
winery along the way. What are some the hurdles you’ve jumped and how did you
navigate them? (For example, I know you lead the transition from purchased
fruit to estate grown fruit.)

CH: Making wine is tough
business. First of all, we’re farming, with all the challenges of weather,
climate change and potential vineyard diseases. Secondly, we’re making a
complicated, fermented product. So many things can go wrong! The key for me has
been experience. After almost 30 years working at the winery every day, there’s
not much I haven’t seen and don’t have an idea about how to fix. I am blessed
with a wonderful, longstanding team. Our winemaker (Jeff Hinchliffe) has been with us since 1998, and many other staff
members have had equally long tenure. They are innate problem solvers, and
treat the winery like it’s their own. Right now, climate change and a tight
labor market are my biggest challenges.

ST: How have you seen Sonoma change in the 30+ years
Hanna has been around? Any thoughts on where it might be going or challenges in
the future?

CH: 30 years ago, there was only
one restaurant in Healdsburg! And we were one of a couple of dozen Sonoma
family wineries. Today, we have corporately owned wineries and thousands of
Sonoma labels. I think wine consumption will continue to grow. The millennials
love their wine! Labor will continue to be a challenge because of the high cost
of living in Sonoma. It’s just too expensive to find housing for most people
who want to work in our industry.

ST: I have to ask about the fires. How has the recovery
been going since last year? What can people do to help?

CH: It’s been a relief to see
more cleanup. Many lots are now scraped, and we’ll see building begin next
year. I’m a huge fan of the Sonoma Resilience Fund. Donate!

ST: I know you are heavily involved in education at
various levels in Sonoma–where does that passion come from?

CH: Education is the great
equalizer. I’ve seen kindergartners show up for the first day of school at
Alexander Valley Elementary without a word of English. Neither of their parents
attended college, and some end up at top tier colleges on scholarship. That’s
the American Dream!

ST: During the our Wine Bloggers Conference lunch (read more about that here), you
and winemaker Jeff Hinchliffe spoke about the fact that while Hanna focuses on
the ‘Bordeaux Box’ of grape varieties (as well as the Burgundian grapes), you
also like to explore the corners of the box. What are some of the interesting
discoveries you’ve made in those corners?

CH: We’ve delighted in
discovering unusual Bordeaux varieties, like our very rare St. Macaire. It’s so
much fun to know that after 30 years in the same business, you can still be
surprised and inspired by something new!

Note: St. Macaire is a dark-skinned grape that was
once common in Bordeaux and South West France but has fallen into obscurity. It
was wiped out by phylloxera in France, but can still be found in small
quantities in California (about a ½ acre total according to Jeff Hinchliffe)
and Australia. I had the chance to try a barrel sample at the Wine Bloggers
Conference lunch and it showed savory notes of smoked meat, root beer, star
anise, a little menthol, and deep blackberry and plum notes. It had quite a bit
of tannin backed by tons of acid (I love the acid). I’d definitely be excited
to try the finished version.

Barrel sample.

ST: I know Malbec is part of
that ‘Bordeaux Box’ exploration.
What has been interesting about growing Malbec in Sonoma? (We had the 2013 Malbec Red Ranch for these posts.)

CH: Growing Malbec at elevation
makes all the difference between a juicy not very interesting quaffer and a
serious wine with concentration and depth. Our gently sloping hillside site in
Alexander Valley is a perfect opportunity to make distinguished Malbec, with
the intense fruit you’d expect from warm Sonoma.

ST: Food and wine pairing seems to be another passion of
yours and you’re written a really beautiful cookbook–The Winemaker Cooks. How did that passion develop?

CH: I’ve been cooking since I
was four years old. When my parents first bought our property in Sonoma, we
planted a garden, and I was making farm to table food before it was even a
thing! And remember, there was only one restaurant in Healdsburg for a very
long time, so if I wanted good food, I had to make it myself. What better way
to make friends than invite them to a meal at your home?

(I totally agree with that!)

ST: Any all-time favorite combos? And/or do you have any
favorite quirky or out of the box pairings?

CH: I could eat lamb every day
of the week. Lamb and Malbec. Lamb and Merlot. Lamb and Cabernet. Lamb and
Pinot Noir….

(I totally agree with that too–I LOVE Lamb!)

ST: SommsTable.com is also all about food and wine
pairing–Any tips or tricks for the readers to create successful pairings?

CH: Don’t stress too much about it. When all else fails, serve
Sauvignon Blanc. It can stand up to a vinaigrette, to spicy food, and its
tangy, citrusy flavors work with just about any seafood, poultry or veggie dish.

Thanks so much Christine! I look forward to catching
up again soon!

Pan-Seared Skirt Steak with
Shiitake-Wine Reduction. Photo cred on these two as well as the bottle shot at the top: Greg Hudson.